Node In A BoxNode In A Box

Dave HarrisDave Harris

CS 410CS 410

Fall 2007Fall 2007

ProblemProblem

• It is difficult for rural areas small towns in the United States to get commercially available high-speed Internet Access

SolutionSolution

• Wireless Mesh Networking to the rescue!

Image source:

http://research.microsoft.com/mesh/

Where are Community Wireless Where are Community Wireless Mesh Networks in place?Mesh Networks in place?

• Seattle, WA (http://seattlewireless.net/)

• Buffalo, NY (http://buffalowireless.org/)

• Portland, OR (http://personaltelco.net/)

• Rome, Italy (http://www.ninux.org/)

• North Yorkshire, UK (http://rhbmesh.net/)

• Prague and other cities (http://czfree.net)

• ..and more!

Problems with current Problems with current implementationsimplementations

• Requires a lot of technical knowledge

• No single vendor for governments with a low-cost solution as well as help planning, setting up, and maintaining system

Who pays?Who pays?

• Local governments for small towns purchase the system

– Avoid marketing to rural areas for now

• How do they pay?– Local government funds– Individual, business, group sponsorships

What our company providesWhat our company provides

• **Mesh network nodes (uplink as well as repeater) that are easy for non-technical people to install– Cost should be less than $100 per node

• Assistance with planning, set-up as well as maintenance issues through an ongoing contract

• **Software to help government or sponsoring entity monitor network health and spot potential problems

• **: Computer Components!

What is not providedWhat is not provided

• Internet uplink (can be provided by individual residents through satellite internet, or centrally through a T1 or something else)

Issues of ContentionIssues of Contention

• Big Telco’s will not like it

• Security of information transmitted

Questions???Questions???